Facture of boots and shoes



(No Model.)

. v E. L. SPRAGUE.

MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES- No. 291,796. Patented Jan. 8, 1884.

was.

lhviran STATES Parent Orricn.

EDWVIN L. SPRAGUE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,796, dated January8, 1884:.

Application filed October 17, 1881. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. SPRAGUE, of Boston, Suffolk county, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in the Manufacture ofBoots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel method of making boots and shoes; and itconsists in channeling the inner sole, placing a metallicclinching-surface in the said channel between the main part of the innersole and the lip of its channel, applying the inner sole to the bottomof the last, drawing the upper over the inner sole, driving thelasting-tacks through the same andinto the inner sole opposite theclinching-surface, applying a second or an outer sole to the lastedshoe, driving or inserting metal fastenings through the latter and theupper and into the inner sole against the clinching-surface, which stopsor turns the points of the said fastenings, and after the clinching ofthe fastenings and the removal of the last, removing theclinching-surface, as will be described.

Figure 1 represents in cross-section a shoe made in accordance with myinvention, it yetcontaining the last, but one side of the last is shownas broken away to the better show the clinching-surface in the channelof the inner sole. Fig. 2 is a top view of the inner sole, thechannel-flap at one side being removed or lifted to show theclinching-surface, the clinching-surface at the other side of the innersole being shown in dotted lines.

In the manufacture of my improved shoe, I first channel the inner sole,a, in from its edges for seven-eighths of an inch, more or less, forminga channelflap, I), (see Fig. 2,) entirely about it, or entirely about itexcept at the toe of the inner sole. In this channel I place theclinching-surface c 0, herein shown as composed of two plates of thinsheet metal, preferably thin sheet-steel about seven-eighths of an inchwide, shaped to fit into the channel, made as shown and described, andto be covered by the channel-flap, as in Fig. 2. The clinching-surfaceneed not be placed in the channel made across the toe of the inner sole,for the foot does not extend into the toe far enough to make theappearance of the fastening through the toe of the inner sole or itschannel-flap objectionable. The clinching-surface is placed in thechannel as shown in Fig. 2. The inner sole, a, is laid upon the last (Z,the upper c is drawn over it and properly secured by lasting tacks orpegs, and the second or an outer sole or soles, e laid thereon, hasmetal fastenings f driven through it either from its outer face or inachannel therein, the said nails passing through the outer sole, theupper, and through the main part of the inner sole until the points ofthe i'astenings meet the clinching-surface, when they are clinched orstopped. The usual lasting-tacks are also clinched on theclinchingsurface. This clinching-surface is kept close in the channel bythe pressure on it of the channel-flap resting against the bottom of thelast or the rigid surface within the boot or shoe. The last forms anunyielding resisting surface to support the clinching-surface when themetal fastenings meet it. After the inner sole, upper, and outer solehave been fastened together and the last is out of the boot or shoe, theclinching-surface is withdrawn from under the channel-flap, when thelatter, covering the points of the fastenings except at or about thetoe, leaves, except at or about the toe, a smooth surface unmarred bynails or fastenings, which hold the outer and inner soles and uppertogether. By this process it is possible to make a nailed shoe andfinish it on the same last without removal, thus saving in cost of lastsand labor of removing lasts, which would not be the case if theclinching surface were connected with the last.

During the manufacture of the boot or shoe, I retain the channel-flapdown in nearly the position it will occupy in the finished shoe, whichis a desideratum, and enables the flap to be easily united by anysuitable cement with the inner sole after the clinching-surface has beenremoved.

The clinching-surface 0 may readilybe drawn out without greatlydisplacing the channelflap.

I claim a In the art of making boots and shoes, the method of unitingthe soles and upper and concealing the lasting-tacks and metalsolefastenings, which consist in channeling the inner sole, placing ametallic clinching-surface in the said channel between the main part ofthe inner sole and the lip of its channel, apfastenings, and after theclinching of the fastenplying the inner sole to the bottom of the last,ings and the removal of the last removing the drawing the upper over theinner sole, drivclinching-surface, substantially as described. ing thelasting-tacks through the same and Intestimony whereof Ihave signedmyname 5 into the inner sole opposite the clinching-surto thisspecification in the presence of two sub- I 5 face, applying a second oran outer sole to the scribing Witnesses.

lasted shoe, driving or inserting metal fasten- EDXVIN L. SPRAGUE. ingsthrough the latter and the upper and into Witnesses. the inner soleagainst the clinching-surface, G. \V. GREGORY,

10 which stops or turns the points of the said B. J. NoYEs.

